1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an editing apparatus for use with an editing system or the like that processes a desired picture from an optical disc reproducing apparatus, a hard disc reproducing apparatus, a reproducing apparatus using an image memory that can output a real moving image, a video tape recorder (VTR) or the like to achieve a special visual effect, for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional editing systems comprise a video reproducing apparatus such as a VTR, a variety of disc reproducing apparatus or the like, a digital multi-effector serving as a special visual effect apparatus and a controller serving as an editing machine for controlling the foregoing apparatus or reading a time code from a video tape reproduced by the VTR or the like and displaying the same.
The VTR supplies video data, provided as a video material, to the digital multi-effector under the control of the controller. The digital multi-effector processes the video data supplied thereto to achieve a special visual effect such as wipe, fade or the like. U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,788 describes such special visual effect apparatus which processes video data to achieve a special visual effect. As typical and fundamental visual effects achieved by this kind of special visual effect apparatus, a small picture displayed on the display screen of the monitor receiver is moved while it is being enlarged progressively on the display screen of the monitor receiver and then changed to other picture than the original picture at the position to which the above small picture is moved.
A picture is displayed according to the above special visual effect apparatus as follows:
Initially, pictures of video signals are reproduced from video tapes, for example, by two VTRs. Then, the picture of the video signal from the first VTR is moved on the display screen of the monitor receiver and changed into the picture of video signal from the second VTR at the position where the first picture is moved. Further, this picture is moved. How to achieve a special visual effect will be described in association with the above example.
When the first VTR is activated by the controller, a video signal reproduced from the video tape by the first VTR is supplied to and displayed on the display screen of the monitor receiver. While the above operation is being effected, time code data is read out from the video tape, reproduced by the VTR, by the controller and the time code data thus read is displayed on a display section of the controller. Then, when the operator visually confirms a picture displayed on the display screen of the monitor receiver and discovers a desired picture that should be utilized in the special visual effect processing, the time code data displayed on the display section of the controller, i.e., so-called in-point address is noted on a memo paper or the like, for example. Similarly, when the operator visually confirms the picture displayed on the display screen of the monitor receiver and discovers the end of the desired picture that should be used in the special visual effect processing, the time code data displayed on the display section of the controller, i.e., so-called out-point address is noted on a memo paper or the like, for example. At that time, the time code data of the in-point address and out-point address are stored in memory units of the controller, respectively. Then, the operator subtracts the time code signal of the out-point address from the time code signal of the in-point address and a time provided by this subtraction is determined as a time of picture that should be used as a video material. The operator inputs the above time into the digital multi-effector and the digital multi-effector determines the input time information as a first key frame time, for example. The key frame is a function to generate time information by the interpolation or automatic interpolation of data between certain two states in the special visual effect such as move, wipe, fade of graphic pattern or the like.
Then, in a like manner, a desired video signal is selected from video signals recorded on the video tape installed on the second VTR, During selection, time information is calculated on the basis of time code data of the displayed in-point address and out-point address. The time information thus obtained is input to the digital multi-effector. The digital multi-effector determines the input time information as a time of second key frame, for example. Then, the operator depresses a button such as an editing button or the like in the controller.
The controller effects a so-called cue-up control on respective VTRs. Also, the controller reads out time code data from these VTRs to thereby control the respective VTRs to be disabled before 3 to 4 seconds, for example, of the in-point address that was already stored therein.
The duration of 3 to 4 seconds is what might be called a preroll time. This preroll time is served as a preparation time required until the playback servo of the respective VTRs is locked and stabilized by a reference synchronizing signal from the controller, i.e., until the respective VTRs become able to perform the stable reproduction on the time base of the controller.
Thereafter, when the special visual effect processing is started, the video tape of the first VTR is reproduced from the position 3 to 4 seconds before the in-point address. When the in-point address is then reproduced, the video signal from the in-point address to the out-point address is supplied to the digital multi-effector.
An image of a designated video signal from the first VTR designated by the first key frame is displayed on the display screen of the monitor receiver and the image as a real moving picture is moved on the display screen of the monitor receiver during the above input time.
Then, the tape on the second VTR is reproduced from the position 3 to 4 seconds before the in-point address.
At that time, the controller controls the phases of the respective VTRs by the control signal on the basis of time information of an internal timer thereof and the time codes from the respective VTRs, whereby the respective VTRs are driven in synchronism with the controller.
When the reproduction of the tape on the second VTR reaches the in-point address, the video signal from the in-point address to the out-point address is supplied to the digital multi-effector instead of the reproduced video signal from the first VTR.
Consequently, on the display screen of the monitor receiver, the picture of the video signal from the first VTR is switched to a picture (real moving picture) of the video signal from the second VTR and this picture is moved on the display screen of the monitor receiver during the above input time.
As described above, according to the prior art, when the input video signal is processed to achieve a special visual effect, the time code data of the in-point address and out-point address are noted on the memo paper or the like and a time difference between the in-point address and the out-point address is calculated on the basis of the time code data of the in-point address and the time code data of the out-point address in a manual fashion. Then, a time information representative of the calculated time difference is input to the digital multi-effector in a manual fashion. A series of above operation becomes cumbersome for the operator. Moreover, if the input time is set to be shorter than the actual time between the in-point address and the out-point address due to inadvertent processing such as a mistake in calculation or the like, for example, then extra lines are displayed in the picture that was processed to achieve the special visual effect. Conversely, if the input time is set to be longer than the actual time between the in-point address and the out-point address, then a special visual effect processing is finished in the picture that was processed to achieve the special visual effect before the designated picture is fully displayed.